2011 Race Schedule and Goals

Well, we're a little over a month into 2011 now, and my first "triathlon" is already fast approaching.  I put triathlon in quotes there because the UW Time Trials is not a true triathlon, as it occurs in the Wisconsin winter and therefor is non-continuous.  This competition was started a few years ago when Collegiate Nationals grew large enough and popular enough that USAT put a limit on how many athletes one school could send to the race.  As I am a UW Alum I'm not eligible for Nationals, but I always enjoy some good competition, and I'm sure this event will provide a good early season challenge for me.  I consider this my first race of the year, although technically I have been doing some races.  The difference is that the races I have done up to this point in the off season are really just checkpoints... small events that serve to keep my motivation up through the long, cold winter where it's easy to decide to cut your trainer ride in your living room short, or not go out in the 10 degree weather for that half hour run.  So far the strategy of including small 5k's, swim meets and a time trial on the computrainer has paid off... I'm fitter and faster than I have ever been in February (and faster than I have ever been period in some events).  On a side note, there is a big difference between the terms fit and fast, and understanding that over the last few years has really helped me to become a better athlete.  More on that in future posts.

So now that the race season is close at hand, I will share what I know of my 2011 season.  The big races are set in stone, with some smaller, local races up in the air at this point.  Here is what is on the docket for this year so far:

Miami International Triathlon- Mid March
Texas 70.3- Mid April
St. Anthony's- Early May
Triple T- Late May
Lake Mills, Verona- June
Lifetime Fitness- Early July
Racine 70.3- Mid July
Age Group Nationals- August
Age Group Worlds- September

Every year I set up my racing schedule with specific goals in mind.  As with previous years, this schedule is not random, and yet it is nothing like any previous year's race calendar.  Every race I sign up for is with a reason.  Sometimes that is just to have fun, other times it is to keep motivation during a long stretch between important races, and other races are put on the schedule because they can qualify me for something if I do well enough. Those are not the only reasons I would do a race, but some examples.  There are definitely a few key differences between this year's schedule and previous years.

First, I am racing early and often.  My first actual triathlon usually isn't until April, but this year I am traveling to Miami in March already.  I normally have 2, maybe 3 races before June, and this year I have 4 (unless you count triple t as 4 in itself, in which case I have 7 pre-June)

Here is the bike course profile for one of the olympic distance races in the Triple-T:

And here is what my friend (and Kona Qualifier) Carl looked like after the race:

The second major difference is I am racing, on average, longer distances this year.  No, there are no Ironmans this year, but for the past 2-3 years I've been doing about 50/50 sprint and olympic distance races, with the primary focus on the Olympic distance (1.5k/40k/10k).  Last year, as a "test run", I did my first half Ironman in 3 years.  The 20 minute PR I posted showed me that I was ready to compete at the level I want to at that distance if I shift my focus to be a little more distance oriented.  This year's race schedule includes 2 70.3's as well as the Triple T.  My focus is still going to be primarily the Olympic distance, but I will probably only compete in 1 sprint tri this year.

The big goal for this year, and the major reason my race schedule looks the way it does, is to qualify for an Elite License.  It's something I've been inching closer and closer to since it struck me as a possibility a few years ago that I might have what it takes.  Everything I've been up to during this off season has been with the goal of setting myself up to be in a position where this is possible with a great day (or a few really good days).  I might post more in depth in the future re: all of the changes, tweaks, and new techniques/ideas I've implemented into my training and life this year, but for now suffice to say that I have made some changes to my diet, sleep schedule, technique, etc that when done consistently over months have, and will continue to, make a big difference in what I get out of the work that I put in.  Rather than putting my energy into focusing on the big goal of earning an Elite card (and turning pro in the process) I focus on the small, daily goals that will add up to the big one.  Put another way, instead of trying to determine the outcome of where I will be at the end of the season (which is focus easily lost because that is so far away), the focus is on the outcome of the next 1-2 hour workout.  How can I make the most of it?  What are my goals for each individual workout?  Those are more important questions than "Where will I be at the end of the year?"  Of course I have a plan laid out to get where I want to be, but the daily focus on the process is most important.

So how does this schedule help me to make the jump to the next level?  It gives me multiple opportunities over the course of the season.  I don't think I'm at the level yet where a mediocre day will be good enough.  Heck, even a good day.  It'll take a peak performance.  There are so many variables in the sport that it would be foolish to put all my eggs in one basket.  The Elite qualifying races are the ones with a large pro prize purse and a large field.  There are only a handful in each area of the country which means to give myself lots of chances I will be traveling quite a bit this year.  This is something I'm excited about, since I'll be racing in a lot of new venues, while keeping a few favorites from past years.  The big races also attract the best competition around, which tends to bring out my best.  Specifically, in order to qualify for the license I'll need to finish as one of the top 3 overall amateurs at one of these qualifying races, or finish within 8% of the winning professional's time at 3 of them.

So that's my season schedule and goals in a nutshell.  I'm looking forward to the experience and the challenge!